Welcome Contact Welcome to Children's Book Author and Illustrator Nina Laden's NEW website! Please explore it all and make yourself at home. NEWS: Time flies when you are working hard and juggling many hats. I have a new book out, and finally a new update here! BOOK NEWS: Attention Board Book lovers: My new board book, "WHO LOVES YOU, BABY?" is out! "WHO LOVES YOU, BABY?" is the 4th book in my board book series that includes: PEEK-A WHO?, READY, SET, GO!, and GROW UP! (All from Chronicle Books, they have combines sales of over 300,000 copies now.) "WHO LOVES YOU, BABY?" is clever and cute. It lets babies and toddlers see themselves as adorable animal characters. It is also a "little love letter" from parent to child. It has a mirror, and is interactive, bright, and loads of fun! So shower all your babies, and your friends who are having babies with "WHO LOVES YOU, BABY?" Also, GOOD NEWS for Board Book Fans: "READY, SET, GO!" is improved, back in print, and on the shelves! "ROMEOW & DROOLIET" (my 9th book with Chronicle Books, and my 13th book overall) is out and available! I worked long and hard both writing and illustrating it. "ROMEOW & DROOLIET" is the story of a male cat, "Romeow," who falls in love with a female dog, "Drooliet." I researched Shakespeare's "Romeo & Juliet," and the Elizabethan period. I wrote three parts of the book in iambic pentameter rhyming couplets. The majority of the book is in narrative form, but the heart of the story is funny, modern and warm. I painstakingly painted the illustrations in Acryla gouache with tiny (00 & 000) brushes at 100% of size on Arches hot press watercolor paper. I designed the book spreads to feel like a stage set, with the characters walking (or running) on and off. I am really excited about "ROMEOW & DROOLIET," and hope that you will be, too! So far, "ROMEOW & DROOLIET" has gotten very good reviews in Kirkus, School Library Journal, and the Associated Press. But as authors and illustrators know, not every critic likes what you work so hard to do. Publishers Weekly gave it an absolutely horrible review. It made me feel sick just to read what they said. Please give the book YOUR fresh eyes, and approach it with an OPEN heart and mind. I did this book for kids and adults who love books- not for critics that love to tear them apart. Since "ROMEOW & DROOLIET" published in May 2005, I have been very proud to have been involved in Reading Is Fundamental's book and literacy project, "THE ART OF READING." Forty amazing children's book illustrators contributed to this gorgeous book. We were asked to choose a favorite book from childhood and re-imagine an illustration for it. We also wrote short essays explaining our choices. I picked "THE CRICKET IN TIMES SQUARE" by George Selden. My spread is the first one in the book. I'm not sure how I got that placement! "THE ART OF READING" is a treasure, and 100% of the purchase price goes to support literacy. Check out READING IS FUNDAMENTAL for more info. You can also see it HERE. As far as my next projects go, I am about to paint the art for my cloth book, BUTTON NOSE. I am still re-writing and re-working my books, "THE GRUDGES," and "LITTLE MISS MESSOPOTAMIA." I have many other projects waiting in the wings. Keep reading below to see what else is brewing. In other book-related news, Weston Woods/Scholastic's animated DVD/Video of my book, "ROBERTO THE INSECT ARCHITECT" is out and available for the school and library market. It is an incredible work of art! Galen Fott of Grundoon animated my illustrations, bringing them to life in a very exciting way. Jerry Hunt composed the soundtrack, and Sean Hayes- the adorable and talented actor who plays Jack on "WILL & GRACE" narrated my story and did quite an impressive array of voices. Melissa Reilly produced. Thank You All! The animation won an ALA ALSC 2006 Notable Video award. HOLLYWOOD NEWS: For those of you who don't know, getting movies made is like wishing on a star (or many stars). You just never know when or if your dream will come true. So the news may change and then may change again. Here it is at this cosmic moment: "THE NIGHT I FOLLOWED THE DOG"- I still hold the rights to my book. I have been writing my first screenplay to adapt THE NIGHT I FOLLOWED THE DOG for feature animation. I've finished the first draft and am now working on the second draft. I am working with two producers and an animation director. More updates to come! There is great news from the animation world. One of my next books, "THE GRUDGES" has been optioned by DreamWorks Animation. It is in early stages of development now. I will be a visual consultant, and Jessie Nelson will produce. New Line Cinema has optioned "ROMEOW & DROOLIET" for feature live-action film. Jessie Nelson ("I AM SAM") is writing, directing and producing. The project is in early script development. I am consulting. Jessie and I are also working on an untitled "MARINE MAMMALS" live-action film at Disney. Jessie is producing and I am co-producing. This project started with two seal characters I created, then it merged with a Mayhem Pictures Navy Seals project. It has been an interesting learning experience so far. I hope to have other book projects set up and in development in the future. It's a long process, but I do hope something will be green-lit for production soon. We'll see! Keep your fingers crossed for me, and I'll keep you posted on further developments!